Sunday 11 January 2015

Got to start somewhere...

...and I'm starting here. I have 22% battery on my computer, the power cable being the least of my worries as my desire to get to sleep as soon as possible being paramount so as I carry our 19wk old little boy, a 2 litre bottle of water and some washing up the stairs to start 'the bedtime' routine, the power cable was just one thing too much.  Oh how my life has changed!

However, I wanted to post today to kick the blog off but it will be brief. Hey, there's 20 weeks of my blurb to read so keeping it brief today is a good thing.

Let's dive straight in. Why Comrades? Can I really do it with a demanding 3yr old (and she is a force to be reckoned with) and a 19wk old baby? The answer to why Comrades is simple, my husband said it was a good idea. Is it possible? - my husband said it was. For those who haven't met Tom, he's persuasive. Very persuasive. But more than that, I need to find myself again. I don't want to live in the past and start training 25-30hr weeks like I did when I was Ironman training. I do so many more hours than that picking up Rosie's toys and working out how to prevent a melt down when her banana snaps in half but this is precisely why I needed a challenge that would be a challenge. I know I can run a marathon, I know I can do an Ironman, I don't know if I can run 56 miles in one go though...although Tom's already told me I can, and hey, he's never wrong right?!!!! My children are amazing, love them to bits, the best thing that could have ever happened etc etc. But somewhere among the snot, tears, tantrums, dirty clothes and baby puke is me. I'm somewhere in there surrounded by this cloak of mummyness. When I run (and at the moment it's ungainly, slow (for me) and hard) but it's time out. No Aston swinging from my boob every hour and no Rosie swinging off my legs. Basically I escape. I run away from the house. I run thinking about all the things I need to do in the house. I put one foot in front of the other and eventually I end up back at the front door of the house where my kids are overjoyed to see me. My mental balance is restored and a tiny part of the old me (albeit heavier) emerges with every run that I do. This morning I ran ten whole miles. The furthest I've run in over a year. Lordy it was hard but oh my it was good to be out on a Sunday morning doing (for me) a long run.

It's time to clock off however, 8% battery life, my little girl is snoring in her room and my little boy is fast asleep on my left, my husband fast asleep on my right. Time for me to hit they hay too, I have one very hungry organic alarm clock that will promptly wake me between the hours of 2/3am.

Let's see what the next 20 weeks have in store shall we?! I think it's going to be an adventure.

H (the currently, bigger boob'd, bigger hipped version).


14 comments:

  1. Cracking blog, must tune into this each week. =D

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  2. A wonderful start on so many levels. You will achieve of course, no doubt, (Tom said), and we know. Look forward to following the 'J' all the way to the finish line. Go girl. :D

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  3. Funny definition of Fat Hels but I get your drift :)

    Great start to your real life blog too nice to follow your progress

    And yep if Tom says you can whose to argue

    Kev

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    1. Tom's powers of persuasion know no bounds!! Thanks Kev :)

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  4. H - I started my entire journey to fitness at THAT stage - small baby and a 3 year old. Keep on keeping on and don't knock yourself for not looking like your 22 year old self right now - what you're doing is keeping you sane and it's SO important - for you and for the kids - that you have goals that aren't tied up in them. I have NO doubt that you will run the race - you may no longer have IM training time but you still have the mindset from all those races you've trained for and been a part of. It will be wonderful to follow you two on this road!

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  5. I look forward to future updates.
    I have two little ones (children) and also run to find 'me' again.
    I don't always like what I find, but I'm working on it.

    Keep up the good work.

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    1. They bring out the worst and the best in us. I too am a 'work in progress' lol! Keep up the good work too :)

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  6. That's really good Helen. I like they way you have captured your true feelings about this event, that's it written from the hart.

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  7. Great post, I am looking forward to reading about your progress

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  8. Best of luck with the training, looking forward to see the progress. Heading for Comrades myself as well but have a far less hectic lifestyle :)

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